


Caught Between

by WolfAndHound_Archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Friendship, Gen Work, Marauders' Era, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 13:25:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5930071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WolfAndHound_Archivist/pseuds/WolfAndHound_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It wasn't an easy thing, being the son of a prominent Dark Arts practicioner.  It was an even more difficult thing when your father was Orion Black, and you're Sirius Black, without even the slightest inclination toward the Dark whatsoever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Caught Between

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Lassenia, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Wolf and Hound](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Wolf_and_Hound), which was created to make stories posted to the Sirius_Black_and_Remus_Lupin Yahoo! mailing list easier to find. However, even though I still love the fandom, I am no longer active in it and do not have the time to maintain it. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in December 2015. I posted an announcement with Open Doors, but we may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on the [Wolf and Hound collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/wolfandhound/profile).

TITLE: Caught Between

AUTHOR: Maple Tide

E-MAIL: mapletide@fastmail.fm

DISCLAIMER: The characters involved that are from the Harry Potter universe are the property of J. K. Rowling and all associated publishers (including Scholastic Press, Bloomsburg, and Raincoast). I'm just borrowing them for my own nefarious purposes. The plot involved, any stray characters that may crop up, and any other things that don't belong to her belong to me. I'm not seeking to make any money off of this; rather I'm going it for fun and for the chance to get it out of my own imagination before it drives me even more insane. Understood? =) Good.

RATING: PG-13

CATEGORY: Angst

KEYWORDS: Sirius, Dark Arts, angst, Sorting

SPOILERS: None, really.

ARCHIVE: Marauder Me. Snitchfiction. FD.net. TDA. Wolf and Hound

FEEDBACK: Please? I can be reached at mapletide@fastmail.fm

SUMMARY: It wasn't an easy thing, being the son of a prominent Dark Arts practicioner. It was an even more difficult thing when your father was Orion Black, and you're Sirius Black, without even the slightest inclination toward the Dark whatsoever. Merlin knew you'd suffered for that crime hundreds of times over.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This was a little something that popped into my head when someone (thanks Tali :)) commented on my LJ about how lost Sirius seems in 'This Moment'. I thought about the reasons why, and the previous Sirius-centric story I wrote in this universe, and sort of tied it all in here. There's a bit of Remus, a bit of Lily, and some of James, but not all that much.

And to think, this started out as a simple drabble.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sirius Black was glad his hair was long, despite the fact that his father was constantly hounding him to get it cut. At least this way he could hide behind it's length while he waited. However, one time, Orion Black had been so infuriated by his son's hair length that he had even charmed a pair of scissors to chase him around the house. It had been inexact, or so Sirius told himself. There was a scar on his upper shoulder where the scissors had missed their mark, and instead had dug into bare skin. He had refused to go to his father to have a healing balm put on the wound and had just waited in the depths of his bedroom waiting for the bleeding to stop.

When climbing out of the shower earlier today, when he had had to finish packing and getting his clothes together and on before taking off for King's Cross, Sirius had finally seen what the bloody thing looked like. It had shown up pale and jagged across the length of his shoulder blade, contrasting with the darker skin around it; he had shuddered and shrugged on the Muggle shirt he was wearing to the station, against his father's wishes.

Now, as he waited for his name to be called, Sirius could almost feel the scar itching, and he did his best to ignore it as he stared straight ahead at Helen Arvenson, who was nervously sitting under the Sorting Hat. There had been a long discussion about family honour and the reminder that every Black from the first of their clan to Orion himself had been sorted into Slytherin, and that Sirius was expected to do the same.

He didn't want to be in Slytherin, but he kept his mouth shut, and his thoughts to himself. His father was a dangerous person to cross when he was in the sort of mood he was in now. There had been bruises left the last time he had lost his mind and his temper and snapped his opinion at his father, and since then, he had tried to keep his thoughts to himself. Even though he'd rather be in Gryffindor, with the brave and crazy lot, or Ravenclaw, where he could put his mind to work and be around people who actually could **think**.

But knowing his luck, he'd be too stupid for Ravenclaw.

Maybe Hufflepuff, then? He was awfully loyal to those he cared about, and Hufflepuffs were known for their loyalty, weren't they? They definitely weren't stupid, despite what his father said. James's mum was a former Hufflepuff and she was best of her class at Hogwarts.

_What would James think,_ he wondered to himself as his thoughts came around to James, _if he knew that the reckless insane person he called a best friend was a shuddering coward when it came to his father? James is a Potter, and all the Potters from the Founding onward have been Gryffindors. The house of the brave, the bold, the insane and reckless, where I'd **like** to be. But knowing my luck, Da will be right, and they'll throw me in Slytherin._

Sirius tensed at the thought. Then he felt James place a hand on his shoulder, and his old friend leaned in, 'You okay, mate?'

He turned and flashed James a grin he hoped looked confident. 'Sure, Jamie. Just a touch nervous, you know.'

'Oh, I know,' James pulled a face, then. 'What if they pitch me in Slytherin?'

Sirius snorted, 'As if they would. You're a Potter, so they'll pitch you in Gryffindor where you belong.' _Me on the other hand..._

His thought, however, was shattered into tiny pieces when the Great Hall shook with the Sorting Hat's decision to place Arvenson into Ravenclaw House. After Sirius's hearing cleared, he could hear the applause surrounding him, most of it from Ravenclaw House. Slowly, he returned his gaze to the front, and saw the stern witch with the dark hair reading from the list of students to be called forward, and the Headmaster had his eyes on him with something that felt like suspicion.

Sirius lowered his eyes. _Even the Headmaster thinks I'll be sorted into Slytherin, what with my family history. Why did I even think that I'd get something better?_

"Black, Sirius!"

At the sound of his name, Sirius looked up in utter terror, and saw the witch gesturing for him to come join them. He let out a soft sigh, accepted the wishes of good luck from James and the other boy they had encountered in the train. He seemed to be a Ravenclaw-y sort himself, come to think of it, as he had had his nose in a book on the Celtic wizards. He had sheepishly admitted that they fascinated him, and he and Sirius had gotten into a long conversation while James had pretended to snore at the both of them in his boredom.

_That first look was really interesting though,_ Sirius mused as he strode up to the stool where his fellow first-years had gone up to be sorted. _For a moment, I could have sworn his eyes gleamed gold at me, but I have to be mistaken. They're just hazel, and sorta greenish-gold, and I really want to get to know him better because he seems really really interesting and oops--_

Sirius hadn't been watching where he was going, and so nearly tripped and ended up on the stool on his stomach. He listened to the laughter around him, and was glad his hair covered his flaming cheeks. He waited for a moment for the embarrassment to fade and clambered up onto the stool properly. Even the witch that hovered beside him seemed amused. Amused and sympathethic all at the same time somehow, and as he flashed her a smile, she dropped the sorting hat over his eyes so all he saw was the dark inside of the hat.

_A Black, then, are you?_ the Hat asked him.

_Er, yes,_ he thought back at the hat, and could have sworn that he heard a chuckle in response.

_You certainly don't seem like the typical Black. You aren't ambitious at all, are you?_

_Sure I am!_ Sirius retorted.

_Right. And I'm the Queen Mum._

_Hullo! It's such an honour to meet you--_

_Shut up, you._ the Hat retorted itself. _Hmm, let's see, you do have a nice mind about you. Oh, and it can't be easy to be that, amongst that lot._

_What are you talking about?_ Sirius asked the hat, irritated.

_You must be caught between, young man, with a family like that, and being the sort that you are. Brave and all that, and devoted more to the Light than the Dark. Don't try to say otherwise, either, because I'd know you for a liar; maybe a lesser hat wouldn't know that, but me, I can read your mind and quite well. Don't forget that. Young Sirius, you know as well as I that the Blacks are a Dark Arts family, and you're anything but._

Sirius didn't say anything, but fell silent in terror, and the Hat seemed to have had its say. The nervous flutter flared up again in the pit of his stomach, and he cringed, shutting his eyes as the Hat prepared to announce his fate.

_Yes, I know where you should go._

_Where?_

When the answer came, it was in a shout, another one that seemed to rock the Great Hall. His eyes flew open in shock.

_You put me in Gryffindor?_

_Where else would I have put you?_ The Hat sounded smug. _You would have been eaten alive in Slytherin and you know it._

Then the Hat was gone, and the stern witch had a smile for him as she gestured him to the table filled with cheering people. He found a seat, the first free one since he was the first Sorted Gryffindor, and watched the rest of the Sorting. The next Gryffindor was a young witch by the name of Lily Evans. She tossed her bright red hair behind one shoulder and watched intently at the next girl in line, and looked disappointed as Hope Foster was sorted into Ravenclaw House.

'Sorry about that,' he offered.

'Oh, it's all right,' she sighed softly. 'I just... she was really interesting.'

'Well, I'm sure there are inter-House friendships anyway.'

She brightened at that. 'Oh, I hope so.'

Their attention was brought back to the line by a sharp voice shrieking, 'What do you know, you stupid git? I have as much right to be here as you do. Maybe more.'

It was a blonde witch, her face red with anger, shouting at a boy of her own height with hair as black as his own, but straighter, and a yellowish complexion. He nudged Lily and asked, 'Do you know those two?'

'Well, I know that's Dari Sanchez. She was talking to Hope and me on the train; well, the two of them were acting like lifelong friends or something. That other boy, I don't know. He was hanging around with an unsavory lot,' she shuddered. 'I steered clear of him.'

'I don't blame you,' he responded. Then he recognised him and groaned. It was the youngest of the Snapes. His name was Severus or something, and his family had rubbed noses with Orion; thankfully, he hadn't been forced into such acquaintance just as yet. When he reached fifteen, he would be introduced properly so he could be inducted by sixteen. If he himself allowed it, that was.

He was a Gryffindor now, after all. He could learn some bravery along the way, and it was four years away besides.

'Do you recognise him?' Lily was all curiosity then.

'Unfortunately. He's Severus Snape.'

'Oh. Is that supposed to mean something?'

'Muggle-born?' he asked her.

'That's what they tell me.'

'I'll explain it to you--'

Then he attention was drawn to the boy whose name was called out. Remus Lupin, the boy he had met on the train. He held up a hand to forestall her questions, and Lily fell into silence. They sat there, waiting as Remus sat, pale and nervous on the stool and waited for the Hat's decision. Sirius sympathised immensely with the look of terror on the boy's face, and broke out in an ear-to- ear grin as the hat shouted out 'Gryffindor!'

By the time Remus had arrived at the table, Sirius had finished a rapid-fire explanation to Lily about the situation with wizarding families and how some of them were born Ravenclaws or Gryffindors, pointing out James as a prime example of that, and offering as well a few well-placed insults that only a best friend could get away with in the process. She found it funny, and he grinned, then explained that the Snapes were known for their Dark Arts knowledge, and tried to avoid talking about his own family.

She asked about it, though, and he used Remus's arrival to forestall her questions. Her eyes narrowed at him as he grinned, 'Come on, come on, sit 'ere,' he gestured to the chair in front of him. 'We didn't finish our conversation, did we?'

'No, we didn't. I didn't know if the Hat could decide where to put me,' he frowned, and shivered a bit. 'I was a bit nervous up there.'

'So was I. I thought the bloody thing was going to put me somewhere else! Although, Ravenclaw wouldna been half bad. I'm a brain, can't you tell?'

Remus snorted and Lily commented, 'It seems to me that you just babble.'

'Doesna take away from my brain power, this babbling, and well, I'm nervous, so I babble. Deal,' he retorted, waving hullo to a new boy that sat on Lily's right. 'Anyway, let's see where Jamie-boy ends up now.'

'Who?' Remus asked, turning in his chair.

'Oi, that's the daft git who thought our discussion about the Celts were utterly boring. Remember? He snored, and loud enough to wake the dead, too.'

'Ah, yes.'

Sirius snorted as the hat announced that he would be in Gryffindor, as he predicted. The bloody git didn't even have to put the hat on his head properly. It hovered over his head and shouted Gryffindor for the entire hall to hear. He joined them, and tried to start up a conversation with Sirius about the chance of the Cannons ever being somewhere other than last. Sirius just told his old friend that he should give it up and that orange really wasn't his colour anyway before returning to his conversation with Remus.

Dimly he realised that Dari Sanchez had been sorted into their House when she nearly dumped James into Remus's lap in the process of trying to lean across the table to continue whatever she and Lily had been talking about before. Lily nudged him a moment later though, and pointed.

Snape was sitting on the stool, and the hat couldn't seem to decide where to put him either. Finally, though, it pitched him off into Slytherin and Sirius couldn't say that he was too surprised. However, under all the nervous putting of bravado he'd done since being tossed into a House other than Slytherin, there was a worry of how to break it to his father of that fact, and whether he'd be disowned for being but in Gryffindor. He worried his lip between his teeth for a moment before deciding that he'd deal with it later, and promising that he'd never be like his father.

_Never._

Then, the Sorting was over, and the Headmaster had risen, and was giving the beginning of notice warnings. There was something about a forest that caught Sirius's attention. He, James and Remus all looked at one another, and Sirius somehow thought that all of their curiosities had been piqued by that, and that they would really have to find out about that forest. It was agreed upon silently, and they'd surely discuss that later. There was also something about a tree that nobody should get anywhere near, and Sirius kept that in mind.

He'd heard about Whomping Willows and the damage they did. He wasn't daft, after all, and he liked living. The bloody things had been known to kill a full-grown man before, after all. He frowned with worry as he noticed that Remus paled, but thought he must have been imagining things when he found that the other boy looked entirely normal the next time he looked, so he shrugged it off.

Still, all the while, the look that he'd gotten from the Headmaster played in his mind, and when the Feast started, he tried to take his mind off of that, and suceeeded. However, he couldn't get the words of the Hat out of his head.

Still, all the while, the look that he'd gotten from the Headmaster played in his mind, and when the Feast started, he tried to take his mind off of that, and suceeeded. However, he couldn't get the words of the Hat out of his head.

_'You must be caught between, with a family like that...'_

_No kidding._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-end-


End file.
